May Vignette - "Flower Moon" by Linda Mooney

"Flower Moon" 

Bettis brought the ship around the planet. Hitting the comm button, he called out to his spouse. “Tria! Get up here! You have to see this!”

            He put the vessel into an orbital pattern. By the time she climbed into the cockpit, they’d flown around to the dark side of the planet.

            She stared out the viewscreen as she took her seat beside him. “What did you want me to see?”

            “Just wait.”

            “Let me guess. It’s on the other side?”

            “Just you wait.” He checked the chronometer. “Innn…one minute, twenty seconds.” He glanced over at her. “Any regrets yet?”

            “You mean, coming back here?”

            “Yeah.”

            She sighed with a soft moan and eased back in her chair. Her eyes returned to the front cockpit window. “Mom always used to tell me never to go back to something you used to love, even if you’ve never lived there. Or never seen something you still believe wholeheartedly in.”

            He nodded. “Like the person you’ve never met but care deeply for?”

            “Yes.” She turned her head and smiled at him. “Exactly.”

            He tilted his head. “How many generations has it been?”

            She appeared confused. “Been?”

            “Since we left this world,” he clarified.

            “Oh. Well…” She looked down, her brows knitted as she thought. “Has to be at least…ten? Twelve generations?”

            “At least that many. I was figuring around twelve to fifteen.” He looked outside. “Now look at us. Circling the very planet we escaped hundreds of years ago.”

            A crescent-shaped light peeked over the rim of the world, signaling their re-emergence from the dark side. “Ah! Here we go.” He threw her a smile. “You’re going to love this.”

            She leaned forward, as if the additional couple of inches would make a difference. Laughing to himself, he flipped the switch to turn off the interior lights to give the upcoming show a more spectacular view.

            The orb gradually emerged from its hiding place, gliding as smoothly as an eagle that used to soar through the planet’s skies. It had emerged only a third of the way when Tria gave a little cry of surprise.

            “Is it a full moon?”

            “Yes, it is,” he assured her.

            “Oh, it's beautiful!” Her voice went soft. “It’s more beautiful than all the photos we have of it.” She turned a tearful face to him. “Thank you so much for this.”

            Holding two fingers to his lips, he held them out to her. “Wait until you see the entire show.”

            Their craft finally crested the edge of the world, revealing the moon in all its glory. From where they sat, it was immense, almost as large as a small planetoid. And it drew closer as their ship continued in its elliptical orbit to pass between it and the world below them.

            “I wonder what moon this is,” she commented. “What month is it here?” She started to consult with the onboard computer.

            “I’ve already looked it up,” he told her. “Going by Earth’s orbital stance around the sun, it’s the month of May, but don’t ask me what year.”

            “May,” Tria repeated. “May’s the spring season. Everything starts blooming again. May’s supposed to be the Flower Moon, right?”

            He nodded. “Right. Or the Corn Planting Moon, because this is when the farmers would plant their corn crops.”

            “I remember my mother telling me it’s the Mother’s Moon, or Milk Moon.”

            “Milk Moon?”

            She grinned. “Something about the cows needing to be milked three times a day. Don’t ask me why.”

            They watched as the full moon appeared to float by, even though they knew it was their ship that was moving. Bettis heard his wife’s breathing quicken. He glanced at her in alarm, but it was quickly evident she wasn’t in any distress. She was simply overwhelmed by the incredible view.

            “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” she whispered. In the orb’s glow, she was more ethereal and breathtaking than he’d ever seen her in the past.

            “Just one other thing,” he murmured.

            She looked at him and realized what he meant. The pink color that tinted her face only enhanced her appearance.

            “Sorrento, this is the Nathan Breyance. Respond.”

            Bettis flipped the comm switch. “Breyance, this is Sorrento.”

            “How’s it look down there? Give us an update.” It was Tovar on the other end. If it had been anyone else, a brief scolding would have come next because they were late checking in.

            “Tovar, you won’t believe how gorgeous this full moon is we’re looking at right now.”

            “Really? Then how ‘bout sending us some pics of it?”

            “They’re on their way,” Tria called out. Her fingers danced over her console.

            “Man, what I wouldn’t give for New Terra to have a moon,” Tovar remarked, verbalizing what Bettis and Tria had been thinking all along. The man’s gasp of surprise echoed over the comm as he received their transmission. “Ho-lee shit! That’s amazing!”

            Bettis chuckled. “Now you know why we were late checking in.”

            “Well, you got a pass from me,” Tovar said. “Wait until I pass these along for the others to see.” There was a moment’s pause before the man returned. “Hey, guys, the head honcho is wanting to know when you’re going down to scope out the planet.”

            “Give us another couple of minutes to enjoy the view before we descend,” Tria answered. “Right now, just let us enjoy the view.”

            “Copy that, Sorrento. I’ll pass along that information and let Robinson know you’re on your way planetside.” Tovar’s voice was suddenly all business, which was his cue to them that the boss was on the bridge. “Nathan Breyance out.”

            Bettis gave his wife a sideways glance. “Think he’ll share the photos with Robinson?”

            She giggled. “Yes, but only after everyone else has seen them first.”

            That gave him a good laugh, too, and they turned simultaneously back to the view. He heard the click of a harness, and a warm body snuggled against his. Softly, Tria began to sing.

            “Moon River, wider than a mile.”

            “I’m crossing you in style someday,” he sang along with her.

            It was their song. They’d had it played at their wedding. And because they loved the piece, they liked to think divine providence made sure they were tapped to take this mission to survey what was left of Earth and see if it was worth reclaiming. Hopefully resettling.  

            When the song ended, they closed it with a soft kiss, and Tria returned to her seat.

            “Okay,” he announced, taking the ship out of orbit. “Let’s go see how pretty our Flower Moon looks from the planet’s surface.”

She didn’t reply, but he knew what she was thinking.

            “Me, too,” he said.

            Tria’s smile was the second most heartwarming sight he’d seen on this trip. So far.

            Taking over the controls from autopilot, he aimed the ship’s nose downward to begin their descent.

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April Vignette - "Pink Moon" by Linda Mooney

"Pink Moon"

“Somewhere up there is a pink moon,” Morris declared.

            Sonja glanced at the sky, but the dark clouds blanked out everything, including the moon and stars. And had for as long as she could remember. “How do you know it’s pink?”

            “Well, this is April, right?”

            “Yeah.” They followed the homemade calendar almost religiously so everyone would know what day it was, as well as the month and the year.

            “My mother told me it’s named after the phlox.”

            “A fox?”

            He chuckled. “No. A phlox. It’s a pink flower that used to bloom in the spring.”

            Sonja sighed. “I’d love to see a real flower again. I’d be happy with an artificial one that I can hold in my hand.” They both glanced at her pale fingers that rested on top of his. He opened his fingers, and they laced them together.

            “Maybe one day we’ll find one…or the other.”

            Several minutes passed as they continued to stare into the darkness shrouding their world. A darkness that brightened only slightly when night turned into day. But at least during the daytime they didn’t need lanterns or candles to find their way around.

            A brisk wind picked up, hurling snowflakes at them. Sonja drew her coat tighter around her as he slipped an arm across her shoulders for a sideways hug.

            “Does this moon have other names?” she asked after a while. They spoke in hushed tones, for fear of attracting the unwanted. He knew they shouldn’t be outside after dark, anyway. But tonight had been so tempting. The storm that had enveloped their little community had raged for eleven days, finally letting up in the wee hours before morning. Morris knew that if there was going to be a “safe” time to go topside for some fresh air, it would have to be now. Otherwise, it could be days before they could venture above again.

            “Oh, yeah,” he admitted. “Momma said it was also called the Hare Moon, or the Egg Moon.”

            “Let me guess. For Easter, right?”

            “I think so. Yeah. I’m not certain, but that sounds about right.”

            They remained huddled together for another couple of minutes, when he decided they’d been outside long enough. He was about to tell his wife it was time to go below when she squeezed his hand.

            “Morris, do you think we’ll ever see the moon again?”

            “I dunno, honey. Maybe. Who knows?”

            “Do you think it’ll ever be safe enough to come up top and stay here, instead of having to keep living underground?”

            He stared at her. At the way her face glowed from the radiation. He knew…she knew…they all knew that living to a ripe old age was no longer obtainable. And hadn’t been since the bombs fell years ago. If anyone reached their forties these days, it was a miracle. So if anyone found someone they could spend those few short years with, they were blessed beyond measure.

            “Like I was blessed to have found you,” he murmured, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair back underneath her knit cap.

            “What?”

            “I feel so lucky to have you fall in love with me.”

            She smiled. She had just a few teeth left, but it didn’t matter. She would always be beautiful to him.

            “I think we need to go back inside.”

            She nodded in answer. “Maybe I’ll try some of that soup again,” she whispered. “I think I’ll be able to keep a little of it down this time.”

            “I hope so.” He helped her to her feet, and they left the small deck that was normally used as a watchtower during the day.

            “Oh, and Morris?” She paused at the edge of the hatchway and turned to face him. “Thank you for telling me about the pink moon.”

            “You’re welcome.”

            “Does it ever show up as another color later in the year?”

            He made a face as he thought back to his childhood. “There’s a strawberry moon in June. I don’t remember if it’s called that for the fruit or the color. I remember the pink moon because it was Mom’s favorite color.”

            “What about a blue moon? I thought I heard someone mention a blue moon a long time ago.”

            “It’s not really blue. In fact, the moon never turns the color associated with it. A blue moon is what people call it if there’s a second full moon in one month.” He chuckled. “Those are rare, which is why people sometimes used to say an event happened once in a blue moon.”

            She smiled again. “If we’re lucky, we can look for the strawberry moon when June comes.”

            Morris fought the tears. If we’re lucky.

            If we’re both still alive.

            “It’s a date, sweetheart. I promise.” Even if only one of them managed to survive until then, he knew the one who survived would be sure to keep their word.

            Sonja stepped onto the ladder, grasping the rungs with her thin hands, and slowly descended back inside the sewers that had been their home for the past six years. Taking one last look up into the blanketed sky, he followed her down.

February Vignette - "Snow Moon" by Linda Mooney

"Snow Moon"

            Frankie headed to the kitchen to check on her pizza. As she passed through the living room, she automatically glanced out the large bay window like she always did. What she saw made her stop in her tracks.

            That new guy who’d moved into the other side of the duplex she also lived in was out on the front lawn… She checked the time. At two a.m., building a…snowman?

            Intrigued, she moved closer to the window to watch. It was a good thing she hadn’t turned on the lights in the room. The full moon was so bright, it illuminated everything, turning the snow into the most beautiful expanse of white.

            The timer dinged on her stove. She reluctantly went into the kitchen to turn off the oven, take the pizza out and lay it on the pot holders to cool. She hurried back to the living room to continue watching him. By that time he’d stacked three balls of snow, one on top of the other, then disappeared into his apartment.

            Going back to the kitchen, she cut her pizza and laid a slice on a plate to take back to the living room. When she returned, the man had returned outside to shove two bare tree branches into the middle ball for arms. That done, he placed a baseball cap on the head, then stepped away to admire his work.

            “You forgot the face,” she muttered around a mouthful of pizza.

            The guy studied his creation for another minute, turned, and disappeared into his place. She heard the muffled sound of the door closing.

            Thoughtfully chewing, Frankie stared at the snowman. It wasn’t a big one. Maybe about four feet tall. Pretty decent, but it looked incomplete without a face.

            She’d never been a spontaneous person, but this time she listened to her inner voice. Retrieving a carrot and a cucumber from the crisper in the fridge, she slid into her coat, threw a scarf around her neck, and trudged outside.

            The snowman was more impressive once she got close to it. The balls had been hard packed and wedged firmly together. The ball cap sported the logo of the local community college, making her wonder if he was an alum from there.

            She added the carrot for its nose. Breaking the cucumber in half, she shoved them into the head to make the eyes. She paused to observe her work. “What in the world can I use for a mouth?”

            “I was going to use spray paint for the face, but I like your additions better,” a voice spoke behind her.

            She whirled around, gasping in surprise. The man stood on the narrow walkway. His teeth glittered whitely in the moonlight when he smiled.

            “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I was watching you build it, and thought you were finished.” She managed a small grin. “Poor thing needed its face, so I, uhh, volunteered a few things.”

            The man nodded. “I like it,” he repeated, walking up to where she stood. Shaking the can in his hand, he removed the cap and sprayed a smile in black paint. “There. Done. What do you think?”

            She smiled and nodded. “I think he likes it, too.”

            “Hi. I’m Greg Talbot.”

            “Francis Middleston. Friends call me Frankie.”

            “May I call you Frankie?”

            “Yes. Please do.”

            He threw a thumb over his shoulder. “You’re my next door neighbor. The one who likes the classics from the seventies.”

            She felt her face flush. “Sorry. I keep forgetting the wall between our apartments isn’t that well insulated.”

            “Don’t be. I’m a connoisseur of Journey and The Eagles myself. Blame my parents’ taste in music,” he chuckled.

            “Same here.”

            He crossed his arms over his chest. “Bet you’re wondering why I’m out here in the middle of the night making a snowman.”

            “The middle of the night, not so much. The snowman, however…”

            “I’m a remote staffer for Korsegian Industries. I have an office in my apartment where I work.”

            “Oh!” Frankie nodded, then frowned. “Aren’t the headquarters for Korsegian over in Bryer Falls?”

            “Yep.”

            “So you work here instead of going to the office.”

            “Yeah. The stuff I do is mostly data-driven analysis that doesn’t require I physically be there on site.” He cocked his head at her. “And you’re up in the middle of the night because…you couldn’t sleep?”

            She started to answer when his eyes widened, and his face took on a shocked look. “Please tell me I didn’t wake you, did I?”

            “No, no, no,” she laughed. “I’m somewhat of a night owl myself. In fact, I work the graveyard shift.”

            “You do?” He looked surprised, but at the same time he wasn’t. After all, it was getting close to two-thirty in the morning.

            “Yes. I handle customer service for Wilmar Computers.”

            “Do a lot of people have computer problems this time of night?” he lightly teased.

            “People who live in other countries do.”

            “Ah! Time difference. I never thought of that.” He glanced behind her. “So you work out of your apartment, too?”

            “Yes.” She turned to gaze at the snowman. “I’ve always wanted to come outside after it snows and build a snowman.”

            “Let me guess. You were reluctant because you thought people would make fun of you because you weren’t a kid?”

            “Well…sort of.” Funny, but she didn’t feel ashamed to admit it. “But when I saw you making one, I couldn’t help myself. I hope you don’t mind.”

            “Oh, shoot, no. I’m glad you did. The birds will be able to feast on him.” He looked down, shuffling his feet, then took the plunge. “I’ve been wondering what kind of neighbor I had. I’m finally glad to have met you, Frankie.”

            “Same here, Greg.” She glanced up at the full moon. “You know, if it wasn’t for the moon being so bright, I probably wouldn’t have seen you out here.”

            He chuckled. “Did you know it’s called the Snow Moon this month?”

            “That’s very appropriate, considering the weather,” she admitted. “Uhh, are you working right now? I mean, were you taking a break or something when you decided to come out here?”

            “Actually, it’s my lunch hour. I grabbed a quick PB and J, and it was while I was eating that I saw all the snow, and…” He chuckled again. “You know the rest of the story.”

            “What a coincidence. It’s my lunch hour, too. I just pulled a pizza out of the oven. I can’t eat all of it by myself. How do you feel about hamburger, mushrooms, and onions?”

            She froze, unable to believe she’d invited a perfect stranger—a male one, at that—into her home. But something about him appealed to her. Something about the way he was acting. He was being open with her, but he was still holding something back, and it intrigued her. Frankie realized she wasn’t wary of him, even though she had every reason to be.

            “I, uhh…” He seemed to want to accept her invitation but was reluctant.

            “I can serve a little vino with it, if you like. Or I have soda. Your choice.”

            He made a decision. Greg crossed his arms over his chest again. “I gotta be up front with you about me.”

            She raised an eyebrow. “What? You’re not into girls? Or you’re a closet serial killer?”

            He laughed nervously this time. “Neither. Look, can I ask you an honest question?”

            “Only if you’re willing to get an honest answer.”

            “Your night job. Do you work this shift because you have to? I mean, because it’s the only job you could get? Or do you prefer being up during the night?”

            She stared at him. Oh, well, might as well be up front about the whole thing. After all, if the two of them hit it off, and he decided to ask her out during the daylight hours…

            “It’s more of an ‘I have to’ sort of reason why. In fact, I was very happy to land the position,” she admitted. “You see, I have a rare disease called—”

            Greg pointed a finger at her. “Xeroderma pigmentosum.”

            Frankie didn’t hide her shock. “You’ve heard of it?”

            Smiling broadly, he pointed the finger at himself. “So do I. I have it, too!”

            Her jaw dropped open. “No shit. Really? Wow, what are the odds?”

            “No shit. I can no more go out in the sunlight than a vampire can. And like you, I was more than happy to land the job I’ve got. I enjoy what I do, even if it means I’m basically a nocturnal animal.”

            She couldn’t believe her ears. “I’ve only met one other person with it, and that was at the doctor’s office when I was twelve.”

            The wind picked up, sending a cloud scuttling across the sky to temporarily block the moonlight.

            “Umm, is that offer of a slice of pizza still on the table?” he inquired, giving her a boyish grin.

            “Yep. When do you get off work?”

            “Five a.m. You?”

            “Six. Come on. Let’s go in before we freeze our butts off out here.” She started for her front door when a whimsical thought struck her. “Wait a sec.” Turning around, she removed the muffler from around her neck and draped it over the snowman. “There. I hope he survives until tomorrow night.”

            “Even if he doesn’t, I hear we’re supposed to get another two to three inches of fresh powder. We can rebuild him if we have to,” Greg promised.

            She laughed, nodding, and led him into her apartment just as the moon reappeared from behind the cloud, throwing the world around them into creamy brightness. 

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January Vignette - "Wolf Moon" by Linda Mooney

This year, every month I'll be posting a little vignette (sci-fi, paranormal, or fantasy-based) involving the moon for that month.

Here's my January vignette entitled "Wolf Moon"

* * *

January, the Wolf Moon 

            “I heard some people say it’s called a Wolf Moon,” Arlene told him. She looked up at the bright, almost too shiny orb hanging in the night sky. “I guess that means it’s meant for wolves.”

            “I heard that, too, but it’s all hogwash,” Derris grumbled. “Hurry up before someone sees us!”

            She stepped gingerly through the frosty grass. Sometimes it crunched under her feet. She whimpered as a shard of ice pierced the thin soles of her shoes and stabbed her toes. She stopped to pull it out.

            “Are you all right?” He came back to check on her.

            “The grass hurts,” she admitted. “And I’m cold. When can we change?”

            “Not until we’ve had our fill. You know that,” he gently admonished her.

            “It’s been so long since we’ve—”

            “Shhh. We’re almost there.”

            “How much farther do we have to go?”

            “Not far. I promise.” Lifting her face, he noticed the frozen tears glistening on her cheeks. He gently brushed them away before kissing her. His lips were amazingly warm, considering the weather. “Come on.”

            They continued to make their way through the field, avoiding the road or the cement walkway. She remembered the one time she tried to walk on them instead of the dead grass. She’d fallen and nearly hurt herself badly on the invisible layer of ice covering the street. And more than once they’d witnessed vehicles slipping and crashing into each other, the light poles, signs, and sometimes into people when the idiots tried to drive on the slickness.

            “Why do you think it’s called a Wolf Moon?” she asked. Hopefully their conversation would take her mind off of how miserable she felt. She blew on her fingers, but she was barely able to feel her warm breath on them.

            “Something to do with the Indians. I think they noticed wolves gathering to howl at it.”

            “Maybe they howled because they were cold.” Her teeth were starting to chatter. Shoving her hands under her armpits, Arlene struggled to follow her mate as the wind picked up. “Think it’s going to snow tonight?”

            She saw him check the sky. “I doubt it. There’s no clouds. Without any clouds to hold in the heat, it’s going to get colder. Come on, honey.” He looped an arm through hers as they continued. “It’s just ahead. I can see the place now.”

            “Are you sure there’ll be something there to eat?” It was becoming difficult to talk. Her lips were numb, and she’d lost all feeling in her feet.

“Yes. They’ll have something to eat. They always do,” Derris promised. His words were slightly slurred, which told her that he was also succumbing to the freezing temperature.

“And after we eat, we’ll be able to—”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

The world was lit with a bright milky-gray glow from the full moon. With snow covering almost everything until nothing remained distinctive under its blanket, it was impossible for her to tell one lump from another.

However, one massive structure loomed ahead. Arlene gave another little whimper, this time of relief. Derris led her straight to the rear of the building where the trash cans were located. Grabbing the lid of the first one, he threw it open and leaned over to take a deep breath. “This one’s full, and it smells delicious.” He tilted the can until it fell onto the ground, spilling its contents.

He was right. The smell of food filled the frigid air, beckoning them with its promise of a hearty meal. Arlene dropped to her knees as Derris shredded the plastic bags. Lumps of mashed potatoes, a few green beans, and beef bones with some meat still attached slid out onto the snow.

“It’s a feast!”

“Start eating,” he ordered her. “I’ll look for more.”

There was more. A bite of egg and toast. Some French fries. The remains of a salad with bacon bits adhered to the lettuce. And two intact biscuits. Half a slice of cherry pie. Most of everything was peppered with coffee grounds, but they were able to brush off the majority of it.

Someone hadn’t eaten every bit of chicken off their order of wings. There were dinner rolls with a single set of teeth marks on them, a little boiled cabbage, some macaroni and cheese, and—

“Look!” Derris held it out to her. Arlene gaped at the two untouched donuts.

“Why would they throw out perfectly good food?” she asked around a mouthful.

“Stuff like donuts grow stale after a while,” he told her. “Nobody wants stale donuts.”

“Oh, but they’re so good!” she argued. “Even cold and hard,” she added, and giggled.

They continued to eat, using the light of the moon and their sense of smell to find the stuff that was still edible, even if it was a single piece of broccoli, a tidbit of a strawberry, or half a slice of cantaloupe.

They gorged themselves, taking advantage of the contents of all three trash cans. When they were too full to eat any more, they stretched out on the hard packed ground, unable to move. Arlene gazed up at the beautiful moon, when she felt Derris’s hand reach out and take hers, giving it a squeeze.

“Happy now?” he whispered.

“I feel like that moon.”

“Stuffed?”

She tried to laugh, but her stomach was too bloated. “I feel like howling at it myself.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m happy. Because now we can—”

A sound coming from the side of the building interrupted them. Derris hissed in her ear, “Hurry! Change!”

She was already ahead of him, shedding her shoes and ragged clothes. He was waiting for her behind the last overturned trash can when the man came outside, brandishing a flashlight and a baseball bat.

“Scott? What is it, Scott?” A woman appeared in the open doorway.

The light played over Derris and Arlene, revealing their locations. They took off, waddling as fast as they could from the roadside restaurant.

“It’s just a couple of damn raccoons,” the man told her. “They got into the trash cans and made a huge mess out here. Damn, if I can figure out how they’re able to knock over those heavy cans.”

“Well, leave it for now. It’s too cold out to do anything about it tonight,” the woman snapped. “Get back in here before you catch your death!”

Eventually, the man turned off the flashlight and went back inside the building. The last thing they heard was him muttering, “I’m gonna hafta put a fence or something around those cans, or those damn animals will be back.”

They waited for the door to close before emerging from their hiding place. Nuzzling her cheek with his snout, Derris motioned for her to follow him.

They left their clothes behind. There was no need to go back and retrieve them. Even if they did, they had no way to carry them. Not in their present shape. But it didn’t matter. They could always find plenty of cast-off clothing people discarded. When they grew hungry again, and could no longer keep their alternate shapes, it wouldn’t be hard to find more.

Derris paused beside a tree and waited for her to catch up. “Warm enough now?” he teased.

She shook the ice crystals from her thick fur. “Mm-hmm, and full as a tick. Where are we going to spend the night?”

“I was thinking about that storage shed about a quarter mile down the road. There’s a little tunnel underneath the flooring that we can use to get inside. We’ll be all toasty and out of the weather. How’s that sound?”

“Will we be able to see the Wolf Moon from inside?” She glanced up to stare at the orb’s intense brightness.

“The shed has windows. I’m pretty sure we can. Come on.”

He turned to lead the way when she stopped him. “Derris?”

“What, honey?”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

He smiled. The moonlight reflected off his mask, making his dark eyes shine. “Tell me again when we curl up to sleep. I want it to be the last thing I hear.”

Arlene nodded and kissed his mouth. And together the two raccoons hurried along the side of the road to find their resting place for the night.

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